[SimplyDF]

Hi guys! I'm new to the community and actually new to the field of HiFi so I am not an audiophile just yet. Thus, I have been studying a lot about audiophile terms and HiFi products and in the end ordered a pair of V-moda m100 to get me started with my lifelong journey as an audiophile.
 
I would like to get the best SQ on the go out of my rather limited budget so I decided to get a portable amp/dac which I decided that to be Fiio e18 since my source on the go is mainly HTC One. However, just yesterday when I was browsing through Fiio's products, I found that Fiio X3 is very powerful too. It supports 24-bit/192kHz (which I do not understand the meaning and benefits of it XD) which e18 does not, and works like a DAC on the computer as e18 does as well. I mainly listen to pop, hard rock, hip-hop and R&B on the go. Okay, here is my question; Which combination sounds better on the go? HTC One with poweramp+e18+m100 or X3+m100? Also which sound better on computer? Laptop+e18+m100 or Laptop+X3+m100?  Thanks for the help! 

 

[SimplyDF]

No one knows? 

 Pump!!!

 

[rubinstein]

X3, it can play flac files and also be used dac/amp, when it is connected to computer.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/671656/fiio-x3-review
http://www.head-fi.org/t/663600/impression-fiio-x3-high-fi-low-price

 

[SimplyDF]

Thanks for the reply!
Tho I think e18 also works as dac/amp when it connected to computer. I assume you mean X3 sounds better in that combination then? 

 

[rubinstein]

x3 is a DAP and can play FLAC. My smart phone can not play flac files.

 

[Trunks159]

I'd get the X3.  They kind of make most of fiio's other products obsolete.

 

[SimplyDF]

I believe Poweramp plays FLAC well. Still, very appreciate your advice.
 
Since you guys all recommend X3, I decided I will go with it 

  Again, thank you guys for your advice.

 

[zamorin]

I think rubinstein is using a nokia and poweamp is not available for it. I'll go for the X3 because of its versatility.

 

[rubinstein]

yes, I was too dumb to buy that phone 3 years ago!

 

[kraken2109]

Well the X3 means you don't need to use your phone for the playing of music, so you save space and battery on your phone.
You'd want to buy a microSD card though, preferably a decent size like 32 or 64GB.

 

[cehowardNote3]

  Well the X3 means you don't need to use your phone for the playing of music, so you save space and battery on your phone.
You'd want to buy a microSD card though, preferably a decent size like 32 or 64GB.

Fast foward about 5 months to present. Correct me if I am wrong, the new generation smartphones can play FLAC, etc files just like the X3.
 
Note 3  LG G2, etc..

 

[cel4145]

Fast foward about 5 months to present. Correct me if I am wrong, the new generation smartphones can play FLAC, etc files just like the X3.

Note 3  LG G2, etc..

Older generations of Android phone could play them, too. Poweramp, that SimplyDF already mentioned, has had that capability for a while now.

 

[cehowardNote3]

Older generations of Android phone could play them, too. Poweramp, that SimplyDF already mentioned, has had that capability for a while now.

Thanks for that feedback. From reading, and seeing posters pondering the choice of getting a music player with a dac/amp but already have a phone capable of being a player, it would see like that is being redundant. Being a newbie, just trying to understand before I plunk down $$$.. 

 Since I have two Samsung Notes that can play Flac files, and are my main sources too, for my situation,  I don't need a player. I am going for the E18, and AKG K550. Going to see how that setup up works, and then going to add an open back set of phones later, and I will already have the E18 to power them..  
 
Searching and reading on the items I am interested in, has come up with some super helpful info...
 
Thanks much... 

 

 

[cel4145]

Glad to help.

Just as a suggestion, you might try Foobar 2000. There is an ABX testing add on for it, so you could compare 320k mp3s with flacs. Many of us find that the differences are so minor between flac and mp3--even when we can tell, which is not always the case--that it's not worth the storage to use flacs on our phones and mp3 players.

Also, I find my AKG K550 is powered very well by my Note 2 for my listening volumes. Certainly, the K550 sound better with my ODAC and Schiit Asgard 2. And I do get more volume when using my C&C BH with the Note 2. But it sounds so good without them, that I just don't worry about carrying any kind of amp. You might wait and see what you think of the K550 with your phones first.